Number of closed stores and terminated Canadian franchisees is both unknown and unknowable because of lapdog disclosure rules.

Tim Hortons confirmed that stores across Maine and New York closed on Friday. RENE JOHNSTON / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

An interesting article in Canada’s largest daily newspaper, Tim Hortons closes locations in New York, Maine, (subheadline:
Coffee chain refuses to say if it has closed any Canadian outlets. It has reportedly closed more than 20 stores in the U.S.):

Tim Hortons has closed down many locations across New York and Maine, only a few weeks after reporting a profit of $49.6 million (U.S.).

The coffee chain would not confirm if any Canadian outlets had been closed or how many U.S. stores shut.

And also in a press release:

“As we build the foundation for accelerated growth in the U.S., we have decided to close some restaurants in New York and Maine.

Comment on article by reader “Relax”: Apparently, Tim Hortons has figured it out. The best way to “accelerate growth” in the US is to start by closing stores.

Canadian Franchise Industry Much More Secretive: Franchisors in the United States are required to report the number of stores and franchisees closed, terminated, etc. each year. There is even public access to their Franchise Disclosure Documents (see California’s search template: Tim Hortons USA Inc). In Canada, provincial ministries do not require franchisors to publish this data. So sad for investors or journalists or the captured franchisees’ billions of investment $.

small groups of franchisees commissioning research (sharing cost information),

non-lawyer franchise expert coach consulting,

an independent franchisee association (no franchise bar involvement),

shared services, supply co-operative(s),

non-franchise bar case preparation, and

equity and gross margin protection.

The Right to Associate provision (the de facto CDN standard and what all franchisees in the world aspire to for justice) is one last conceptual obstacle preventing franchisees from taking their appropriate seat at the adult’s table.

Proof?: after 14-15 years, the CDN franchise bar has filtered each attempt to plead Right to Associate (trial and appeal), thereby, defeating the ON justices from activating its potential.

If you won’t act to support pro-franchisee MPP candidates in 2011, Why the hell should they give you what you want in the face of the demands to the contrary by Big Auto, Grocery and Oil, their fat cat lawyers and the Canadian Franchise Association?

The notion that people need to believe in and trust in their institutions is not a naive, child-like or stupid idea. It’s an evolutionary imperative because humans are social beings.

Our survival depends on a reasonable expectation of the basic trustworthiness of the officers and offices in our instituations.

A modern complex post-industrial knowledge economy requires a high-trust environment. Fairness of opportunity is the business governments are in: not passing laws that enable the the creation and cover-up of consumer swindles.

A country, a provincial parliament or a police force are not a brand.

Franchising as a bully arena is most readily seen when they start to push around people we elect to represent us.

See this coat of arms?

Canada stood for something at one time. People sacrificed a lot (continue to die for, in fact) a principle, not to enable federally regulated financial institutions to drive the lending getaway car.

See this one?

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario: hear the other side. It’s designed to remind us of something. We as citizens are diminished when its taken 40 years to prove that powerful commercial interests can deny the need for, then flip-flop in 2000 when they need a sales boost and then flop-flip(?) saying that any more pre-sale disclosure would “give a false sense of security” for investigating future franchisees.

Oh, please.

And this one…

When fraud coppers have to continue to turn away franchise victims (wives of some of their own “brothers”, even), it reduces the trust we have in the value of all police enforcement activities.

When the legitimate authority of the state is debased, we are all diminished.